Refers to the systematic, nationwide research process of identifying, categorizing, and quantifying all documented credentials offered in the United States. Led by Credential Engine, this process produces periodic reports—most recently Counting Credentials 2025—that provide an authoritative estimate of the total number of unique credentials across the education and workforce ecosystem. The count includes a broad range of credential types, such as degrees, certificates, badges, micro-credentials, certifications, licenses, and secondary school credentials.

Key features of the report include:

• Uses standardized definitions and methods to account for seven major credential categories.
• Combines data from thousands of providers, digital credential platforms, education institutions, and licensing/certification bodies.
• Highlights change over time, such as growth in badges, certificates, and micro-credentials.
• Emphasizes the growing role of digital and data-rich credentials in making skills visible and verifiable.

Counting Credentials helps policymakers, researchers, employers, learners, and educators understand the size, diversity, and growth of the U.S. credential landscape. By revealing how many credentials exist, who issues them, and how they are distributed across categories, the process supports transparency, improves market intelligence, and informs decisions related to funding, program development, skills-based hiring, and quality assurance.

Related Terms: Credential Transparency, Credential Registry, Digital Credential, Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL)